andersonville-第107部分

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became　notorious　made　some　show　of　inquiring　into　and　alleviating　the
deadly　misery；　there　might　be　some　excuse　for　them　on　the　ground　of　lack
of　information；　and　the　plea　that　they　did　as　well　as　they　could　would
have　some　validity。　　But　this　state　of　affairs　was　allowed　to　continue
over　a　yearin　fact　until　the　downfall　of　the　Confederacywithout　a
hand　being　raised　to　mitigate　the　horrors　of　those　placeswithout　even
an　inquiry　being　made　as　to　whether　they　were　mitigable　or　not。　　Still
worse：　every　month　saw　the　horrors　thicken；　and　the　condition　of　the
prisoners　become　more　wretched。

The　suffering　in　May；　1864；　was　more　terrible　than　in　April；　June　showed
a　frightful　increase　over　May；　while　words　fail　to　paint　the　horrors　of
July　and　August；　and　so　the　wretchedness　waxed　until　the　end；　in　April；
1865。

3。　　The　main　causes　of　suffering　and　death　were　so　obviously　preventible
that　the　Rebel　leaders　could　not　have　been　ignorant　of　the　ease　with
which　a　remedy　could　be　applied。　　These　main　causes　were　three　in　number：

a。　　Improper　and　insufficient　food。
b。　　Unheard…of　crowding　together。
c。　　Utter　lack　of　shelter。

It　is　difficult　to　say　which　of　these　three　was　the　most　deadly。　　Let　us
admit；　for　the　sake　of　argument；　that　it　was　impossible　for　the　Rebels　to
supply　sufficient　and　proper　food。　　This　admission；　I　know；　will　not
stand　for　an　instant　in　the　face　of　the　revelations　made　by　Sherman's
March　to　the　Sea；　and　through　the　Carolinas；　but　let　that　pass；　that　we
may　consider　more　easily　demonstrable　facts　connected　with　the　next　two
propositions；　the　first　of　which　is　as　to　the　crowding　together。　　Was
land　so　scarce　in　the　Southern　Confederacy　that　no　more　than　sixteen
acres　could　be　spared　for　the　use　of　thirty…five　thousand　prisoners？
The　State　of　Georgia　has　a　population　of　less　than　one…sixth　that　of　New
York；　scattered　over　a　territory　one…quarter　greater　than　that　State's；
and　yet　a　pitiful　little　tractless　than　the　corn…patch　〃clearing〃　of
the　laziest　〃cracker〃　in　the　Statewas　all　that　could　be　allotted　to　the
use　of　three…and…a…half　times　ten　thousand　young　men！　　The　average
population　of　the　State　does　not　exceed　sixteen　to　the　square　mile；　yet
Andersonville　was　peopled　at　the　rate　of　one　million　four　hundred
thousand　to　the　square　mile。　　With　millions　of　acres　of　unsettled；
useless；　worthless　pine　barrens　all　around　them；　the　prisoners　were
wedged　together　so　closely　that　there　was　scarcely　room　to　lie　down　at
night；　and　a　few　had　space　enough　to　have　served　as　a　grave。　　This；　too；
in　a　country　where　the　land　was　of　so　little　worth　that　much　of　it　had
never　been　entered　from　the　Government。

Then；　as　to　shelter　and　fire：　Each　of　the　prisons　was　situated　in　the
heart　of　a　primeval　forest；　from　which　the　first　trees　that　had　ever　been
cut　were　those　used　in　building　the　pens。　　Within　a　gun…shot　of　the
perishing　men　was　an　abundance　of　lumber　and　wood　to　have　built　every　man
in　prison　a　warm；　comfortable　hut；　and　enough　fuel　to　supply　all　his
wants。　　Supposing　even；　that　the　Rebels　did　not　have　the　labor　at　hand　to
convert　these　forests　into　building　material　and　fuel；　the　prisoners
themselves　would　have　gladly　undertaken　the　work；　as　a　means　of　promoting
their　own　comfort；　and　for　occupation　and　exercise。　　No　tools　would　have
been　too　poor　and　clumsy　for　them　to　work　with。　　When　logs　were
occasionally　found　or　brought　into　prison；　men　tore　them　to　pieces　almost
with　their　naked　fingers。　　Every　prisoner　will　bear　me　out　in　the
assertion　that　there　was　probably　not　a　root　as　large　as　a　bit　of
clothes…line　in　all　the　ground　covered　by　the　prisons；　that　eluded　the
faithfully　eager　search　of　freezing　men　for　fuel。　　What　else　than
deliberate　design　can　account　for　this　systematic　withholding　from　the
prisoners　of　that　which　was　so　essential　to　their　existence；　and　which　it
was　so　easy　to　give　them？

This　much　for　the　circumstantial　evidence　connecting　the　Rebel
authorities　with　the　premeditated　plan　for　destroying　the　prisoners。
Let　us　examine　the　direct　evidence：

The　first　feature　is　the　assignment　to　the　command　of　the　prisons　of
〃General〃　John　H。　Winder；　the　confidential　friend　of　Mr。　Jefferson　Davis；
and　a　man　so　unscrupulous；　cruel　and　bloody…thirsty　that　at　the　time　of
his　appointment　he　was　the　most　hated　and　feared　man　in　the　Southern
Confederacy。　　His　odious　administration　of　the　odious　office　of　Provost
Marshal　General　showed　him　to　be　fittest　of　tools　for　their　purpose。
Their　selectionconsidering　the　end　in　view；　was　eminently　wise。　　Baron
Haynau　was　made　eternally　infamous　by　a　fraction　of　the　wanton　cruelties
which　load　the　memory　of　Winder。　　But　it　can　be　said　in　extenuation　of
Haynau's　offenses　that　he　was　a　brave；　skilful　and　energetic　soldier；　who
overthrew　on　the　field　the　enemies　he　maltreated。　　If　Winder；　at　any　time
during　the　war；　was　nearer　the　front　than　Richmond；　history　does　not
mention　it。　　Haynau　was　the　bastard　son　of　a　German　Elector　and　of　the
daughter　of　a　village；　druggist。　　Winder　was　the　son　of　a　sham
aristocrat；　whose　cowardice　and　incompetence　in　the　war　of　1812　gave
Washington　into　the　hands　of　the　British　ravagers。

It　is　sufficient　indication　of　this　man's　character　that　he　could　look
unmoved　upon　the　terrible　suffering　that　prevailed　in　Andersonville　in
June；　July；　and　August；　that　he　could　see　three　thousand　men　die　each
month　in　the　most　horrible　manner；　without　lifting　a　finger　in　any　way　to
assist　them；　that　he　could　call　attention　in　a　self…boastful　way　to　the
fact　that　〃I　am　killing　off　more　Yankees　than　twenty　regiments　in　Lee's
Army；〃　and　that　he　could　respond　to　the　suggestions　of　the　horror…struck
visiting　Inspector　that　the　prisoners　be　given　at　least　more　room；　with
the　assertion　that　he　intended　to　leave　matters　just　as　they　werethe
operations　of　death　would　soon　thin　out　the　crowd　so　that　the　survivors
would　have　sufficient　room。

It　was　Winder　who　issued　this　order　to　the　Commander　of　the　Artillery：

ORDER　No。　13。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　HEADQUARTERS　MILITARY　PRISON；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ANDERSONVILLE；　Ga。；　July　27；　1864。

The　officers　on　duty　and　in　charge　of　the　Battery　of　Florida　Artillery　at
the　time　will；　upon　receiving　notice　that　the　enemy　has　approached　within
seven　miles　of　this　post；　open　upon　the　Stockade　with　grapeshot；　without
reference　to　the　situation　beyond　these　lines　of　defense。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　JOHN　H。　WINDER；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Brigadier　General　Commanding。


Diabolical　is　the　only　word　that　will　come　at　all　near　fitly
characterizing　such　an　infamous　order。　　What　must　have　been　the　nature　of
a　man　who　would　calmly　order　twenty…five　guns　to　be　opened　with　grape　and
canister　at　two　hundred　yards　range；　upon　a　mass　of　thirty　thousand
prisoners；　mostly　sick　and　dying！　　All　this；　rather　than　suffer　them　to
be　rescued　by　their　friends。　　Can　there　be　any　terms　of　reprobation
sufficiently　strong　to　properly　denounce　so　malignant　a　monster？　　History
has　no　parallel　to　him；　save　among　the　blood…reveling　kings　of　Dahomey；
or　those　sanguinary　Asiatic　chieftains　who　built　pyramids　of　human
skulls；　and　paved　roads　with　men's　bones。　　How　a　man　bred　an　American
came　to　display　such　a　Timour…like　thirst　for　human　life；　such　an
Oriental　contempt　for　the　sufferings　of　others；　is　one　of　the　mysteries
that　perplexes　me　the　more　I　study　it。

If　the　Rebel　leaders　who　appointed　this　man；　to　whom　he　reported　direct；
without　intervention　of　superior　officers；　and　who　were　fully　informed　of
all　his　acts　through　other　sources　than　himself；　were　not　responsible　for
him；　who　in　Heaven's　name　was？　　How　can　there　be　a　possibility　that　they
were　not　cognizant　and　approving　of　his　acts？

The　Rebels　have　attempted　but　one　defense　to　the　terrible　charges　against
them；　and　that　is；　that　our　Government　persistently　refused　to　exchange；
preferring　to　let　its　men　rot　in　prison；　to　yielding　up　the　Rebels　it
held。　　This　is　so　utterly　false　as　to　be　absurd。　　Our　Government　made
overture　after　overture　for　exchange　to　the　Rebels；　and　offered　to　yield
many　of　the　points　of　difference。　　But　it　could　not；　with　the　least
（consideration　for　its　own　honor；　yield　up　the　negro　soldiers　and　their
officers　to　the　unrestrained　brutality　of　the　Rebel　authorities；　nor
could　it；　consistent　with　military　prudence；　parole　the　one　hundred
thousand　well…fed；　well…clothed；　able…bodied　Rebels　held　by　it　as
prisoners；　and　let　them　appear　inside　of　a　week　in　front　of　Grant　or
Sherman。　　Until　it　would　agree　to　do　this　the　Rebels　would　not　agree　to
exchange；　and　the　only　motivesave　revengewhich　could　have　inspired
the　Rebel　maltreatment　of　the　prisoners；　was　the　expectation　of　raising
such　a　clamor　in　the　North　as　would　force　the　Government　to　consent　to　a
disadvantageous　exchange；　and　to　give　back　to　the　Confederacy；　at　its
most　critical　period　one　hundred　thousand　fresh；　able…bodied　soldiers。
It　was　for　this　purpose；　probably；　that　our　Government　and　the　Sanitary
Commission　were　refused　all　permission　to　send　us　food　and　clothing。
For　my　part；　and　I　know　I　echo　the　feelings　of　ninety…nine　out　of　every
hundred　of　my　comrades；　I　would　rather　have　staid　in　prison　till　I
rotted；　than　that　our　Government　should　have　yielded　to　the　degrading
demands　of　insolent　Rebels。

There　is　one　document　in　the　possession　of　the　Government　which　seems　to
me　to　be　unanswerable　proof；　both　of　the　settled　policy　of　the　Richmond
Government　towards　the　Union　prisoners；　and　of　the　relative　merits　of
Northern　and　Southern　treatment　of　captives。　　The　document　is　a　letter
reading　as　follows：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CITY　POINT；　Va。；　March　17；　1863。

SIR：A　flag…of…truce　boat　has　arrived　with　three　hundred　and　fifty
political　prisoners；　General　Barrow　and　several　other　prominent　men　among
them。

I　wish　you　to　send　me　on　four　o'clock　Wednesday　morning；　all　the　military
prisoners　（except　officers）；　and　all　the　political　prisoners　you　have。
If　any　of　the　political　prisoners　have　on　hand　proof　enough　to　convict
them　of　being　spies；　or　of　having　committed　other　offenses　which　should
subject　them　to　punishment；　so　state　opposite